In this issue:

• Message from the Chair
• What You Need to Know
  • Update Your Profile Page
  • Annual Review with the Chair
  • New Generic Email Addresses
  • Sabbatical
  • Welcome to the DoM
• Happenings in DoM
• DoM News
• ACB: Fostering Meaningful Inclusion and Accessibility across Academic Spaces
• DoM Research
• Helpful Support and Tips
• FoMD News
• U of A News
• AHS and AMA News

MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Update Your Profile, Amplify Your Impact

Your U of A profile showcases your expertise, research, teaching, leadership, and accomplishments to colleagues, learners, collaborators, media, and the broader community. Keeping it up to date ensures your latest achievements are reflected and helps highlight the outstanding work taking place across our Department. We encourage you to take a few minutes to review and update your profile.

To Edit Your Profile:

1. On the U of A Directory, enter your name.
2. When your page pops up, click on Login (top right). Enter your CCID and password. Then you can begin editing. 

Memo: Completing the Faculty Annual Report (FAR)

As part of the updated Collective Agreement under Article A2.05, academic faculty members assigned to the ANNUAL and EVEN cohorts are required to complete an Activities Report through the FAR portal for the current reporting cycle 2025-26. The academic faculty members include: 

• Academic AMHSP
• Basic Scientists
• Faculty Service Officers (FSOs)
• Special Continuing Faculty

Want to know more about how to complete the Faculty Annual Report (FAR)? Sign up for a FoMD virtual information session:

• Monday, August 10,  4 - 5 p.m.

New Role-specific Email Addresses

Using a generic or role-specific email address helps ensure inquiries are always received and responded to, even when individual staff members are away or change roles. Please use the role-specific emails for the following:

• Wendy Barton, Academic Department Manager: domadm@ualberta.ca
• Andrea Cliff, Engagement and Events Team Lead: domeetl@ualberta.ca
• Eleni Karageorgos, Research Team Lead: domrtl@ualberta.ca
• Christine Tyrie, Manager of Business Operations: dommbo@ualberta.ca

This is your opportunity to step away from the everyday, pursue bold ideas, and return with fresh perspectives that inspire innovation, discovery, and growth. Consider a sabbatical opportunity for the 2027-2028 academic year. 

Please join us in welcoming the following new staff:

• Dr. Richard Wu, assistant professor, Division of Gastroenterology, ryw1@ualberta.ca.

HAPPENINGS IN DoM

New Public Health Education Series Launching This September

The Department of Medicine is pleased to launch Let's Talk Health: Conversations with Physicians from the Department of Medicine, a new virtual community education series presented in partnership with Edmonton Public Library.

Designed for a general audience, this free, monthly series will provide practical, evidence-based information on common health topics and questions. Sessions will feature DoM physicians sharing what they want the public to know about their area of expertise, helping participants better understand their health, and navigate the information they encounter online and in the media.

If you would like to be a speaker in this series, please send an email to Andrea Cliff (cliff1@ualberta.ca) with your name and a brief description of your topic.

INAUGURAL WEBINAR:

The Truth About GLP-1 Medications:
Separating Facts, Myths, and Headlines
Wednesday, September 9 | 6–7 p.m. via Zoom
with Dr. Saifal Anwar, associate clinical professor

Our inaugural webinar will explore the realities behind GLP-1 medications, like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro, including common misconceptions, potential benefits and risks, and what current medical evidence tells us about these increasingly talked-about therapies.

We encourage you to share this opportunity with your family, friends, patients, colleagues, and community networks.

That’s shorter than reading the whole newsletter.🤣

Have you noticed the changes we've made? Your voice matters.
Thank you to those who have already completed our survey! 

Join us in person for coffee and good conversation, or click on links below to register on Zoom.

• Sep. 11, Classroom F - State of the Department, Dr. Narmin Kassam, chair and professor, Department of Medicine, U of A
• Sep. 18, Classroom D - Title TBA, Dr. Stephanie Keeling (division director and professor, Division of Rheumatology) and Dr. Oscar Fernandez Garcia (assistant professor, Division of Infectious Diseases)
• Sep. 25, Classroom F - Title TBA, Dr. Ally Prebtani, professor of Medicine, Internal Medicine, Endocrinology & Metabolism, McMaster University

See more previous recordings on the MGR Library web page.

Kick-start the Semester

Spend some time reconnecting with colleagues, sharing summer highlights, and welcoming new members to the team.

Venue: Corbett Quad, corner of 112 Street and 82 Avenue
Food Trucks: Satay Madura, Starvin Marvin's and Veggie Delights
For Whom: Free for DoM faculty, residents, staff and learners, however you must complete the registration to reserve your attendance. 

Registration is now open

Join us for an opportunity to delve into the latest breakthroughs and advancements in Adult and Pediatric Pulmonary Medicine.

"It was a great educational program - Thank you!"
- 2025 participant

Registration is now open

This one-day course will provide physicians and healthcare professionals with the latest in Diabetes and an approach to common Endocrine problems. 

DoM NEWS

Congratulations to Dr. Padma Kaul, Dr. Ross Mitchell and Dr. Puneeta Tandon on their successful applications to the CIHR 2026 spring competition!

Kudos to Dr. Monty Ghosh, Dr. Lavanya Bathini and 10 DoM students, recipients of 2026 grants and scholarships from CIHR, tri-council and MSI Foundation!

Cheers to Dr. Stephanie Smith (professor, Division of Infectious Diseases) on receiving the 2026 Champion of Change Award by GroYourBiz.

Research on snail hibernation by Dr. Evangelos Michelakis (professor, Division of Cardiology) and team leads to a new drug, SNAP, that could improve organ transplants, have lessons for anti-aging, and even fuel future research into deep space travel. (U of A News and CityNews (video))

Photo: researchers work to deliver SNAP to a mouse heart (credits: Brandon Lynch/CTV News Edmonton).

• Dr. Monty Ghosh (assistant professor, Division of General Internal Medicine)

  • Prescription forgery attempts climb across Alberta (CTV News)

  • Animal tranquilizer poisoning in illicit drug supply raises alarms with doctors (Calgary Herald)
     

• Dr. Lynora Saxinger (professor, Division of Infectious Diseases)
  • 6 Albertans hit with parasitic illness, province says no link to U.S. outbreak found (CBC)

DoM ACCESS, COMMUNITY
AND BELONGING

Fostering Meaningful Inclusion and Accessibility across Academic Spaces

Accessibility and meaningful inclusion are essential to a university and health-care community that supports all members, advances health equity, and values the contributions of people with lived experience of disability (PLEX). These principles are especially important in academic centres and teaching hospitals, where physicians, trainees, researchers, patients, and staff collaborate in clinical, educational, and research settings.

To support these goals, the Vice Director of Inclusion and Accessibility for iSMART (Taymy Caso) and the Co-Lead of the Smartwear Revolution Project's Social Justice Working Group developed the Smartwear Revolution: Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) on Accessibility in collaboration with PLEX scholars, trainees, and staff.

The SOP provides researchers, physicians, educators, administrative staff, and trainees with a practical framework for planning accessible meetings and events, identifying barriers, implementing accommodations, and ensuring the needs of all participants are considered and respected. It also outlines stakeholder responsibilities, inclusive planning practices, accessibility tools and resources, a venue accessibility checklist, and guidance for addressing diverse accessibility needs.

By promoting accessible and inclusive practices, this SOP supports equitable participation in research, education, leadership, and knowledge-sharing, serving as a resource for universities and academic health centres committed to creating more accessible and inclusive environments.

For more information, visit the iSMART website or doi.org/10.7939/84722.

By Dr. Taymy Caso

Read other ACB definitions and topics on the DoM ACB site.

DoM RESEARCH

Faculty Funding and Awards

• NSERC Discovery Grant 2026 | NOI: Aug. 4. Full application opens: August 12; Final application: Nov. 2.
   

• CIHR Project Grant Fall 2026 Competition | Registration: Aug. 12.
  RAS Internal Admin Review: Aug. 27; Institution: Sept. 8;
  Sponsor: Sept. 9.
   

• 2027 Heart & Stroke Grant-in-Aid | RAS: Aug. 20. Application: Aug. 27;  Sponsor: Aug. 27.
   

• 2027 Heart & Stroke New Investigator | RAS: Aug. 26. Sponsor: Sep. 3.
   

Trainee + Postdoctoral Scholars
Funding and Awards

• Research Project Management Training | Sep. 29. The Canadian Association for Graduate Studies (CAGS) offers this webinar on practical tools for planning and tracking research projects. Registration costs $15 and includes workshop materials and a certificate of completion. 

For more Funding and Award Opportunities, see:

HELPFUL SUPPORT and TIPS

• Addictions at Work: Substance Use and Behavioural Addictions | Aug. 13. This one-hour session will build participants' understanding of substance use and behavioural addictions, including common signs and symptoms, contributing factors and their potential impacts on health and wellbeing.  
   
• Switch your U of A Wifi Connection today: eduroam. The UWS connection will expire Aug. 15. Log in with your email CCID@ualberta and password.
   
• ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training) | Sep. 22 - 23. ASIST teaches participants to recognize when someone may have thoughts of suicide and work with them to create a plan that will support their immediate safety.

FACULTY OF MEDICINE & DENTISTRY

• Participants needed for study on racism and racism reporting in FoMD. Racialized members (learners, faculty and staff) are invited to participate in this research to evaluate the impact and effectiveness of FoMD's Racism Reporting Process. This study uses a qualitative, phenomenological design, anchored in Critical Race Theory, to explore your lived experiences.
   
• Help from ADI's CRU with clinical trials | Aug. 31 (RSVP by Aug. 15). Discover how the Alberta Diabetes Institute's Clinical Research Unit (CRU) can help you launch and deliver high-quality clinical research. 
   
• Input Needed: Shape the Future of FoMD (Strategic Planning Survey). Whether your role focuses on education, research, clinical innovation, administration, or service your unique insights are vital to identifying the opportunities and challenges that will shape our future.
   
• Fall Workshops with Dr. Vijay Daniels
  • Clinical Teaching Workshop 1 - How to Maximize Clinical Teaching | Sep. 9
  • Time Management Workshop | Sep. 18
     
• Office of Lifelong Learning (L3)

  • Beyond the Basics: Performing endometrial biopsy and IUD insertion in your office- Hands-on Workshop I Sep. 15. Kipnes Academy, U of A 
     

• FoMD Research Nexus | Oct. 28. Join the FoMD Office of Research for this annual research fair in the Katz Atrium. This trade-show style event offers a unique opportunity for researchers to connect directly with various research support units, network, and discover resources to assist with your work. For more info: vdradmin@ualberta.ca. 

UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA NEWS

• Excellence in Leadership Awards | Sep. 30. Want to recognize an outstanding leader or leadership team? This award recognizes outstanding leaders or leadership teams for their awareness of and attention to issues and concerns that impact the quality of the work and learning environment
   
• Staff Awards | Sep. 30. There are two awards for which you can nominate outstanding employees:
  • The Support Staff Awards recognize outstanding support staff members.
  • APO, FSO, Non-Union Employees and Librarian Awards recognize outstanding employees in these areas.

AHS and AMA NEWS

Free AMA webinar that support PPIP requirements. The Alberta Medical Association Accelerating Change Transformation Team (AMA-ACTT) offers free, interactive webinars to help physicians meet the Physician Practice Improvement Program (PPIP) requirements by the College of Physicians & Surgeons of Alberta.

• Working Through Conflict: Mastering the Process | Aug. 24
• Steps for Growing a Healthy Team Culture | Sep. 15
• Artificial Intelligence Tools Checkup: Taking the Pulse on Your Practice Readiness | Sep. 22